Automatic signal whistle valve



Dec. 22, 1931. w. R. LODER 1,837,559

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL WHISTLE VALVE Filed Nov. 26, 1929 Patented Dec. 22, 1 931 UNITED STAT-ES,

WINFIELD n. nonnaor H ToHIusomxA vs st AUTOMATIC SIGNAL WHISTLE VALVE Application filed liTovember 26; 1929, Serial No. 409,799.

This invention relates to signal Whistles ence to be had to and more especially to automatic valve construction therefor, and the general object is to produce a valve construction which automaticallycompensates for or replenishesthe air lost by ordinary leakage from the signal line and thus guards against accidental production of a blastor blasts by the Whistle, and which, upon a sudden opening of the s1gnal line, and consequent quick reduction of pressure at one side of a piston within a cylinder, permits air from the reservoir l1ne to apply preponclerating pressure on and move the piston and thereby eifect unseatlng of the valve to permit the whistle to blast its signal. I

More specifically the object is to'provide a cylinder having a piston and a continuously open air supply port, by-passing' the piston to normally maintain balanced pressure on the latter, and yielding means for normally holding the piston at one side of a r'echarge port Witl the latter at such time functionless and the valve closed, the yielding means, upon a sudden lowering of the pressure at the re charge-port side of the piston, being overcome by the pressure at the opposite side of the piston to permit the later to move and'unseat the valve and assume a position Whereit bridges the recharge port, in order that the latter may cooperate with the supply port in quickly 'rebalancing thepre'ssure on both sides of the piston, the yielding means reversing'the movement of the pistonto reseat the. valve as or slightly before the pressure becomes the accompanying draw ings,inwhich:

Figure li'is a central vertical longitudinal V sectionof an automatic whistle embodying the invention; 1 Figure 2 is a cross section on the line IIII of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a detail fragmentary perspec- V tive view of a part of the piston stem, and also a shows the valve construction in disconnected relation; 1 I

Figure 4 is a cross section on the IVIV of Figure 1. a In the said drawings, l indicates a casing preferably of cylindrical form as shown and closed at its front and rear endsby removable line heads 2 and3i Near its opposite ends the.

casing is provided with tubular bosses 4 and '5 tapped or threaded internally for engage ment bypip'es 6 and 7 respectively, the

former leading from the main compressed air equal or rebalanced on'both sides of th ig:

ton. y

A still further object is to provide valve constructiondependably operative, regardless of weather or temperature conditions-, and which isof simple, strong and durable construction and susceptible'ofquick' repair or adjustment to accommod'atea particular air pressure. r With these objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, refer reservoir, not shown, andthen through-the reducing valve, also not shown, as conven tional construction. The pipe 7 leads to the? signalline of the train so that when the conductor pulls thevsignal'cord, not'shown, 0fany'coach or car, the air pressure in the end of the cylinder with which pipe 7 connects, is reduced, for a purpose which hereinafter appears."

Fitting in and forming amovablepartition for the casing, is a ring-packed or equivalent piston 8 which, when the whistle is not in quickly exhausted and its pressure is sufliciently reduced at the rear side of'the' partig tion-or piston the latter is forced by the'preponderating pressure on its opposite orjfront side, to the position shown in dotted lines.

Figure 1. Air can then pass from the right hand or front side of the piston throughthe port as well as throughthe'su-pply port 9,

to quickly recharge the chamber of the cas-,

ing at the'rear end of the partition, as will hereinafter be referred to more particularly.

'head2at12. 3 V The said head is provided "with a for- Thepartition or piston is rigidly mounted on a central longitudinally extending stem 11, and the front portion of said stem extends through and finds a bearing or support inthe weirdly-projecting tubular extension or boss 13 providing a chamber 14 into whichthe front end of the stem projects, and said chamber communicates through the head 2.

withthe interior of the casing, by means of a suitable port or ports 15 so that the air forward of the piston, which isnormallyatlbs. pressure, is at the same pressure in chamber 14. The frontend of the chamber 14; is

end of-the-boss or extension 13-. A pipe19 diametricallyenlargedas at 15? and fitting in said enlargementis a valve-seat'membe'r 16, a suitable gasket 17 being interposed between the valve-seat member and the for-J wardly-facing shoulder formed by-the enlargement of said chamber 14, and said valve j seat member is clamped with an air-tight relation, upon the gasket 'bymeans of a union coupling 18 which'is screwed upon the front isscrewed into the coupling and equipped at its opposite end with a whistle' 20 of conyentionalor any preferred type." .7 The valve-seat memberiha's ajcentral passage 2O communicating with the whistle pipe 19, and said passage is enlargedyto form a a substantially conical seat 21jfor engagement by a correspondingly formed valve 22t secured rigidly upon the front end of'the stem suitable manner, and said valve is preferably 11 by means of a screw 23 or in any other made of fiberorequivalent material, though 7 it is to be understood that any-materialmay' be employed w'hich,'when engagingfthepassage enlargement'21, will formxa dependable closure for the, passage '20. The valve stem is also ."preferably formed adjacent its front end, with an angular portion24for-engagement by asu itablewrench orjtool, not shown, to hold the: stem against rotation-when: a

screw driver: is employed to 'withdraw the clamping screwr23 for the replacement of a- "t worn valve-22 bya new vone, it being understood of course that when such operation 'occurs the union nut and the valve-eseat-memberr are'firstremovedf so gast'o give access to the valve and the-stem 1 '1 fro the frontend of theb'oss, 13}: I L I 1' The head 3 oftheicasingisiprovided with a' ce ntral threaded opening: 25=and the inner end'of said-opening is bridged byaspider26 having-a plurality of p'assages27 establishing communication betwee the: interiorvof the} V securing it being unimportant. l

casing and the opening 25, and said spider is formed with a central bearing opening 28 ac-' commodating the reduced extension 29 of the rear portion of t-he'stem 11, the latter being preferably enlarged or provided with a.

collarBO at its-junction with the reduced extensionto impinge upon the spider and thus positively limit travel of the piston or the partition 8 to the left or rearward, the piston when the collar is bearingagainst thespider, being disposed inthe position shown by dotted lines, Figure 1, so that air may pass forwardto the 'Whistleand to the rear chamber of the casing through port or passage 10 as well as by way of the supply port 9. V r

A tube 31 is screwed intovthe opening '25 and provided with an externally threaded portion engaged by a. tube 32 internally threaded at its rear end, and sore-wed into said internally threaded rear end is a nut 33 having a central socket or opening 34 0f somewhatwgreater length than 'thereciprocatory travel of the piston or partition, and the reduced rear end of the'jstem 11 is seated in said socket, having playback andforththere; in as the partition or piston. reciprocates, it

'beingnoted that the piston stem finds sup-'1 port in head 2, nut 33 and in-the spiderland relieves the piston of undue wearat itslower edge. The reduced stem portion, within the tube 81,is provided with an, enlargement or;

collar-35, and a spiral spring 36 fitting around said "stem, bears at its ioppositeends against the nut-33 and said collar 35, thefu1ictionof said spring being to slide the stem and hence the partition or piston cforward until the valve is seated, whenever the pressure of air ion on both sides of the partitionor piston'is substantially equal. Normally this condition 7 obtains. because oftherpassage ofair from the forward'side ofthe pistonthrough the supply port ,9 to the rear side of the piston, and hence the pressure of the-springwill hold thevalve firmly'upon'itsseat. i

If it is desired to vary thextensionof the spring36,it can be accomplishedby screw the pipe 32. .Normally thenut=33 is inaccessible, as a cap 37 is screwed upon jpipe 32, and must be removed by. means of a *wrench to motiVe the particular place and rn'anner'of ing the nut 38 injthe proper direction into lVhen a t'rain" is properly made up andthe main reservoir properly charged,iit*will understood, that, "as stated, the air pressure atropposite'sides of the partition of piston is balanced at about lbs. or any other pre-' determined pressure, and tliatfunder such conditions, the spring 36 is holding the valve 7 V closed upon its seat. In the event a conduc- I tor or other person-operates the pullcord of a coach and thus suddenly reduces the pressure in the signal line and hence in the casing behind the piston, the lbs. pressure ahead of the piston instantly forces the pis- A ,[stem axially mounted in said casing withits ton rearward, this action overcoming the resistance of spring 36 and withdrawing the valve from its seat, and as a result operating the whistle. Immediately the pull cord is released the exhaust from the signal line ceases, and as the piston is opposite port 10 (see dotted lines), the air at the front side of the piston passes'to the rear side thereof in suflicient capacity to almost instantly re-established or balance the pressures at the two sides of the piston, and as the pressure on the piston is thus balanced or almost balanced, the spring 36 acts to again advance the piston and seat the valve and cut ofl' the air to the whistle. I

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have produced a signal whistle which embodies the features of advantage setforth as desirable in the statement of the object of the invention, and which is susceptible of modification in minor particulars within the principle of construction and mode ofoperation involved and without departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In train signalling apparatus, a casing, a movable partition dividing said casing into two chambers, a fluid supply pipe connected to one chamber and adapted to supply fluid under pressure, a fluid exhaust pipe connected to the other chamber, a by-pass whereby the pressures in said pipes are normally equal, yielding means applying force tending to move the partition in one direction, a signal device connected to the fluid receiving chamber, and a valve actuated by the yield ing means to shut off the flow of fluid to the signal when the fluid pressure is substantially equal on both sides or" the partition.

2. In train signalling apparatus, a casing, a movable partition dividing said casing into two chambers, a fluid supply pipe connected to one chamber and adapted to supply fluid under pressure, a fluid exhaust pipe connected to the other chamber, a by-pass whereby the pressures in said pipes are normally equal, yielding means applying force tending to move the partition in one direction, a signal device connected to the fluid receiving chamber, and a valve actuated by the yielding means to shut oii the fiow of fluid to the signal when the fluid pressure is substantially equal on both sides of the partition; said casing also having a recharging port establishing communication addi oppositetends' slidingly "engaged with the ends of the casing, a piston securedto said stem intermediate its length and dividing the casingpinto. asupply and an exhaust chamber, a pipe for supplying air under pressure connected to the supply chamber, a

signal'pipe connected to said air exhaust cnamberof the casing, a by-pass continuously connecting the supply and exhaust 'chambers around said piston, a guide receiving one pressure against said guide to return the pisend ofthe piston stem, and a spring applying ton and stem to normal position when the V pressurein said chambers is equal, said guide being adjustably mounted to vary the tension of the piston-actuating spring. a

4;. In train signalling apparatus, a cylindrical'casing having closed ends, a piston stem axially mounted in said casing with its opposite ends'slidingly engaged with the ends of'the casing, one end of said stem extending beyond the corresponding end of the casing and terminating in a valve, a valve seat for said valve, a piston secured on said stem mtermed ate its length and dividing the casing into a supply and an exhaust chamber, a signal pipe connected to said air exhaust chamber, a pipe for supplying air under pressure connected to the supply chamber, a by-pass continuously connecting the supply and exhaust chambers around said piston, and a spring for returning the piston and stem to normal position when the pres sure in said chambers is equal. I V i 5. A train signalling apparatus, a cylin-v drical casing having closed ends, a piston stem axially mounted in said casing with its ioo opposite ends slidingly engaged with the I ends of the casing, one, end of saidstem extending beyond the corresponding end of the casing, a tubular extension carried by the casing and receiving the pro ecting valve stem, adjustable spring tensioning means in said extension, a spring pressing at one end against said tensioning means and at its other end' against the piston stem, a piston securedtolsaid stem intermediate its length and dividingthe casing into a supply and an exhaust chamber, asignal pipe connected 7 to said exhaust chamber, a pipe for supplyingalr under pressure'connected to the supply chamber, and a by-pass around said piston for continuously maintaining communiexhaustand supply cation between said chambers.

v V p 5125 6. In train signalling apparatus, a cylindric'al casing having closed ends, a piston stein axially; mounted in said casing with its opposite ends .slidingly engaged with the ends of-the casing, a piston on said stem intermediateits length and diyiding the cas-- ing into an airsupply and an air exhaust 7 port',r theend 10f said'stem adjacent the air :supply port: extending beyond. the correesponding end of the casing and terminating sin-a valve, a valve seat for said va1ve,.the opposite end of saidstem extending beyond the corresponding end of the casi ng,' a tubular extensioncarried by the casingand receiving said projecting valve stem, adjustable spring e'tenslonlngmeans in said extension, a sprlng pressing at one end against said itensioning means and at its other, end againstthe pisv maintaining constant communication between said air supply and air exhaust chambe'rs. i

3 In testimony Whereof'i afliX my signature.

WINFIELD R. LODER. 

